Dental instrument



June 13, 1933. J. E. KEEFE DENTAL INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 26, 1931 kfamesZf i ee e &- W 0% Patented June 13, 1933 1 UNITED STATES JAMES E. KEEFE, or" cnIoAGo, ILLINOIS DENTAL INSTRUMENT Application filed January 26,1931. Serial No. 511,319.

vides a simple and eflicient contact cleaner which can safely be used by either the dentist or theindividual.

The invention may be understood byreference to the illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, m

which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a number of teeth and an instrument embodying my invention applied thereto,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the instrument illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation corresponding to Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a View showing a section taken on the line 44 of Figure 3 and showing two normally contiguous teeth;

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the instrument shown inFigure 1 and showing a portion of the edge in detail;

Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 3 but of a modified form; and

Figure 7 is a further modification.

Referring in detail to the figures of the drawing, I have shown a representation of two human teeth 1 and 2 which may normally contact at a point such as the point 3, for example. contact points and the condition of such contact points should be frequently determined and cared for. One conventional method of determining the condition of said points and caring for same is by the use of dental floss, but dental floss is difiicult to handle, breaks very quickly and has many other disadvantages and shortcomings. My invention removes the gluey film that adheres to the teeth and which floss cannot remove.

I havefound that a pliant but resilient sheet of metal such as the thin sheet of German silver 4, shown for exempliiication, may be advantageously used for the cleaning and inspection of said contact points and that when so used new and highly useful results Teeth tend to decay at such are attained thereby. This sheet maybe of gauge thickness ranging from .001 to .005.

The 'sheett desirably hasits edge 1a formed with slightirregularitiesand as here shown has the serrations or sinuositieso which are transverse to theplane of the sheet i.

The sheet 1. whichis desirably very thin and pliable is provided with a backing which may be a pieceof less pliable metal such as "the piece6 (Figure 3) here shown folded over Ianedge of the sheet fl opposite the edge 4a.

The backing 6 may be secured to the sheet 4; as by meansfofindentations7 in oneyside. of

the backing 6 {registering with the similar indentations 8in the sheet 4 and both pressed by thebight ofthe backing 6, into apertures 9 upon the opposite side of the backing.

Inthe exemplification shown in Figures 1 to iinclusive, the backing 6 provides a shoulder 10which desirably limits the extentto which thesheet 4 maybe inserted between the. teeth 1 and 2, thereby guarding against "cutting or otherwise touching of thegums 11 bythe edgela. The backing 6 also, provides a reinforcement forthe thin sheet 4, making itzeasier to handle and increasing its "The shoulder 1O conveniently be spaced from the edge 4a atvarying distances such as at 12* and 13to accommodate difli'erentsizes of teeth. One or more portions of the sheet 4:1 is desirably tapered as at .14 to facilitate insertion. of the sheet between the teethfiw When the sheet has been inserted between the contact points of theteeth 1' and 2, for

example, as at the point 3, the teeth arereadily' forced apart slightly by the sheet 4 and the edge 4a, which may be caused to move back and forth thereb etween, willquickly and effectively clean said contact point. The

sheet i may also be inserted between the teeth to pass the contact point 3, but not far enough to touch the gums 11. If a cavity exists such r without passing the portion of the edge 4a which has assumed the contour of the cavity 15, again through the contact points 3.

In Figure 6 I have shown a backing in the form of a portion of the sheet 4; itself which may have the longitudinal rib 16 pressed therein.

F igure7 shows a further modification in which the sheet 4 is made circular and has the 10 circular rib 17 pressed therein.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the precise details of construction shown above for illustration. Such changes may be made as fall within the scope of the follow- 15. ing claims without departing from the invention.

I claim: t

1. A device of the character described com- "prising in combination; a thin sheet of Ger- 20 man silver, said sheet being pliable but resilient and having an edge embodying minute sinuosities transverse to the plane of said sheet; and a backing folded over said sheet upon an edge opposite said sinuous edge and spaced therefrom at varying distances, said backing having indentations therein engaging indentations in said sheet, whereby said backing is secured to said sheet. 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the in- ;39 dentations in one side of the backing and the indentations in the sheet are in register with apertures upon the opposite side of the backing and are pressed into said apertures by :the bight of said backing.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a thin sheet of German silver, said sheet being pliable but resilient and having an edge embodying minute sinuosities transverse to the plane of said sheet, said sheet having a rib pressed therein along its margin and spaced from said edge. 7

4'. A device of the character described,

comprising in combination; a thin sheet of German silver, said sheet being pliable but resilient and having an edge embodying minute sinuosities transverse to the plane of said sheet; and a backing for said edge, said backing including a portion of said sheet thickened along its margin and spaced from said edge.

5. .A device of the character described comprising a thin sheet of slightly resilient pliable metal adapted to readily take a permanent set and having its edge distorted to vproduce a series of minute irregularities therein.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe myname. JAMES E. KEEFE. 

